Summer Camp Scholarship Thank You Letters

2017

From Participants in the National Orchestra Institute, 2017 in Jacmel"When I was invited to take part in the first National Orchestra Institute, I did not expect such a large gathering of young musicians from every corner of the country. Growing up in Port-au-Prince, I never thought that there were so many others in my own country who shared my passion for music, a thought that now brings happiness in my heart.I want to thank all the teachers who sacrificed their time, their energy and so much more so that they could be with us during this amazing experience. I also want to thank the coaches of the first violins section, David Langr and Yuki McQueen, the conductors, Canes Nicolas and Thierry Fischer who did an incredible job with us in only a few days, and Janet Anthony for coming up with such a brilliant idea.The opportunity to work with this group inspired me and restored my hopes of a bright future for music and musicians in Haiti."

"A thousand thanks to the musicians of the Utah Symphony and the Detroit Symphony, especially to our dear Maestro Thierry Fischer for the way that you worked with the Haitian musicians. We hope that this program continues to help change Haiti.Thank you for how you help us progress with music. After you, who could do so much not only for the Cemuchca Institute of Music but for all of Haiti – there is no one else who could do it like this. A thousand thanks to BLUME Haiti, and especially to Miss Janet Anthony, for this wonderful initiative taken for the development of our country. Because music is a tool of development! Thank you very much to the 18 music schools that participated in this beautiful initiative. We hope that this program continues to help change Haiti. Music makes us come together as one."

"For me it was a risk because people only see bad things about Haiti in other countries but he himself chose to come and this is a thing that we appreciate and that we will never forget. I also say thank you to Maestro Canes because he chose to leave his other activities to come help us with his hands and his feet and we really appreciate this."

"This was a beautiful experience for me. I thank, first of all, Madam Janet Anthony who is indefatigable as far as music in Haiti is concerned and all the volunteers of the Utah Symphony for their all the sacrifices they accepted to leave their activities to come help us.In this seminar, I was so happy to see the devotion that the volunteers brought to their work and to see the devotion the Haitian musicians manifested to learn so that the seminar would be a success. I am so happy. I learned a lot and I hope that this work will continue to the satisfaction of each volunteer and each Haitian who makes music in Haiti. Thank you to my teachers."

"I do not have the words to express what an enormous privilege this was given that there are many youths who did not have the opportunity to rejoice in this privilege. When I first heard of the National Orchestra Institute I was truly happy and I really wanted to participate, I always prayed to the good lord that, when the day came for the Institute, I would be able to participate. During the entire week I felt so happy, so full of joy. I had new experiences, things I would never have imagined. I thank each member of the Utah Symphony for traveling all the way to Haiti for this very special work. All of these musicians came together as one to be able to play beautiful music and to have great lessons on the music. I was so happy. I hope there are even more days next time. I especially hope that this orchestra will remain a model for all of Haiti and for other countries too. I hope to participate again. I do not have words to thank all the members of the Utah Symphony for all of their sacrifices - only I ask them to continue this great work. Thank you."

"For me this was an extraordinary experience. It allowed me to recoup my strength as a musician. I really found what I have been looking for for a long time."

From Summer Camp Participants"This experience has marked my life as much from a social perspective as from a musical one since I met many new people who have the same goal as me – to progress as much as possible in music. "

"It is not an “easy” thing for people to be able to have the same privilege [of participating in a summer music camp] each year but, with BLUME Haiti it has become easier for musicians in the entire country. I bow down low before the members of BLUME Haiti to se thank you to them. It is thanks to them that classical music is evolving in the country. With more help, we will have more of a future in music in my country. Thank you, thank you for your support for me. Long live music!"

"I am very happy because I see that there are people in other places who think about us here in Haiti and who help us improve every day. "

"A big thank you to BLUME Haiti [because], through music, you are doing huge work in Haitian society…I hope you always will continue to help Haitians in music because music is a tool that changes the ideas of people and that can connect people across the world. "

"Once again this year I had the opportunity to participate in the large National Music Camp organized by EMST. A big thanks to BLUME Haiti for its work which consists of supporting young Haitian musicians. I encourage them in this beautiful work. My participation in this camp taught me many things and enabled me to improve musically. In return, I promise you that I will not abandon it. Your work is not in vain. I am always available and eager and I will continue the work of sharing with others everything I have learned thanks to your support "

2016

"You are doing a tremendous work in this community and helping many young people like me and many others."

"I want to thank BLUME Haiti for the huge work that they do across Haiti for all musicians. What defines “Art” “it is the beauty of life” – this means that without music life does not make any sense. I feel glad because, though many people were not able to benefit from this occasion, I was one of the scholarship recipients. During this time [at camp] I learned many things such as pedagogy, conducting class an many other things. I was truly attentive and was very respectful of the teachers and this training will serve other people in my music school. I don’t know what words I can employ to enable me to say thank you, thank you. I hope that you always remember me in these moments [of music camps]. If you do this, you will not lose. Through me, music will take its path. Thank you, thank you very much."

"I thank you for having put in place a group of volunteers ready to teach us in Haiti. I thank you especially to have encouraged the trip of Mr. Paul and Ms. Lindsay who, together, gave a wonderful violin pedagogy class. This class will help me in my own teaching with more ease and more knowledge. Thanks to your volunteers, I can now teach the necessary fundamentals and basic techniques of the first two volumes of Suzuki to help students progress."

"I understood musical passion and I was also able to make music my means of expression. I was able to play, to sing, to be able to express my feelings but words are also a music. I would like to thank you for the chance you gave me, for the scholarship that allowed me to attend the summer camp. I am very grateful and I will not forget the lessons, the laughter, the advice and, of course, the music. Thank you for this gift, I feel privileged to have received. Thank you for your welcome, your courage, your good sense and, above all, for your organization. Without this organization, I would have lost a lot that has helped me advance as a musician. I know have lots of projects to share with others. Music is an art, music is a gift, music is a language, music makes one vibrate, music is sharing."

"BLUME, I thank you with all my heart my soul and my force for your help for music. For all, for the way you have helped me think of my future. For the desire you have given me just to play music. Let me tell you in passing that my oxygen is music. I inhale when I play and I exhale when I hear music."

To begin, I can say that doing music is not easy in my country because very often we can not find instruments. But now, thanks to all the support that you bring for us, our situation has improved. Not only can we find instruments for us to play and practice with but also, you go further when you donate or when you pay for camp for many musicians, especially me. I can say to you that I do not find the words to thank you in a way that is not different from other people but I’m really missing the vocabulary. I don’t know what might have happened if you had not chosen me for the scholarship along with musicians from everywhere [across the country]. To finish, I can say hold tight, don’t soften, continue on the same but I will throw myself into thank you and thank you very much."

"It was with great satisfaction that I participated in this camp. It taught me how to develop many things inside of me such as my creative sense, my sense of tolerance and respect for people who are around me. Concerning music, I found many people who come from many different provinces from across the country and from around the world. The people I met who came taught me how to share what I know and they shared with me all that they had and I profited from what they brought to give to me which enabled me to enrich my knowledge. For this, I give many thanks that you gave me the chance to participate in this seminar. "

"BLUME Haiti, I offer you infinite thanks because you have made a real contribution to the future of many youths in Haiti. You know how to invest in the future of young musicians. And this investment is also an investment in the future of classical music in Haiti."

"I am really happy because this is useful for me, for my country, for my music school, for my friends and I am ready to give my all to work to the best of my ability so that I can help people who are in need."

"congratulate you for this enormous work that you are doing in the Haitian communities. I want you to know that thanks to you many young in our country have benefited from these wonderful workshops. Me myself, I want to say with all of my heart a big thank you. I want you to know also that it is the first time I have had help like this. This workshop/formation was very important for me. It is a new word for me. With this formation, what I gained from lutherie I can put to use in the service of the school I represent. And I can use these skills to serve my community. "

"There is no person on the earth who could pay you for the work that you do in the area of music in the majority of music schools in Haiti. The two weeks of formation I received in luthier training, really gave me pleasure and the information I learned will be very important and I believe it will help me in the future. It is not easy to find someone who will help you get training for free. Knowledge is very expensive, we can never repay you but, the one word we can say to BLUME Haiti is “thank you” and I will pray that the good lord gives you more strength and more courage so that you can continue to help and that God blesses you more and protects your lives."

"I have been thirsty for a long time for such a workshop and I was able to get the training and I will use it to serve the orchestra in my hometown and anyone who needs my services. I say thank you very much. I don’t think you will regret this because I will work to become a great luthier because I love this and I now have your backup "​"A thousand thanks BLUME Haiti! We are proud to be your children."

2014

"Music is life, without music there is no life. How are you? Your family? Your health? Your projects? For me, all is marvelous.

The goal of my missive is to thank you for your patience and for the education you gave me in music in the summer of 2014. During these weeks I have made great strides in music. I learned to play a lot of scales like, for example, the D and G major scales in 3 octaves. I also learned how to play in 2nd position and I started with the second volume of Suzuki and I was able to at least look at the 7th piece in this volume. All of this is thanks to you, it is because you helped me!

At the end, if I were to tell you all that I learned because of you, it would take me a week and even that would not be enough. Again, a thousand, thousand thanks to you! May God bless you in your life. I thank you."

"Today it is with great joy in my heart that I write you this letter. I profit from the occasion to greet you in the name of Jesus Christ. I hope you are well. I thank you for the way you helped me participate in music camps this year. I was really happy because I learned a lot of beautiful music in the band I played in. And, concerning music theory, I had a very good teacher who taught me about key signatures, intervals, and rhythmic reading, I must tell you that I made a lot of progress since last year and for the remainder of this year I will work a lot to be able to have a good sound on the clarinet. I pray that God will bless you and your family."

"In the name of God who gives us the chance to live, I greet you! My heart is overrun with joy to be able to take up my pen to thank you. In life, a person should have [practical knowledge rather than information] a well made head rather then a full head. I had a [information] full head but now I must tell you that I have a [practical knowledge] well-made head. I knew lots of definitions and I also knew lots of things about music but I was never able to use these things. In the middle of practicing the violin I was able to play only in the 1st position but, today, I am able to reach 3rd position. And I was not at ease with scales but now I feel really comfortable and I am also making progress in reading. I thank you for permitting me to attend the music camp, you treated me as if I were your child. For all of this I thank you with all my heart. May God bless you."

"I have the honor of writing this letter to thank our dear teachers and foreign volunteers who want to encourage us as we learn music. I also want to let you know that, from the bottom of my heart, I am very grateful. This year I made a lot of progress in music – especially in key signatures and the relative major and minor scales. And I want to thank Mme Janet Anthony who encouraged me every time I was at the point of discouragement in what concerns music. I love music and, especially, the flute; it used to be a passing fancy but now it is my passion. I ma very happy to have worked with different foreign professors and I learned a lot from them (vibrato, good posture, how to breathe, articulation, etc…) Again, a thousand thanks to you because it is thanks to you that I am not to illiterate in music. I hope that you can help me reach the goal I am striving for. Thank you Mme. Janet for this opportunity."

2013

"Dear Organization, I am very happy to be able to share this important moment with you and I take my hat off to this organization. In particular, I thank Mme. Janet, who is doing a good job. Frankly, camp did a lot for me. I never thought that my dream would go this far and I still have many more dreams. I play trumpet and I really made a lot of progress during camp. I learned a lot of things like how to practice, how to do dynamics, flexibility - - - and I received a lot of good advice. What made me the happiest was that I played in the Philharmonic Orchestra – this was the best experience that I could have had and I hope to do more because my dream is to become a good composer, and a good trumpet teacher so that I can help in the entire world but especially in Haiti. I don’t know how to thank you, a thousand thanks to this organization. Thank you!!!"

"Today I am full of joy to be able to take my pen and a white page to write you this little letter that has as its objective for me to be able to thank you for the help I received to participate in this music camp (EMST). During the music camp, that lasted 22 days, I felt that I learned a lot of things about music. I had as my teacher Greg, an excellent saxophonist, who helped me a lot. The way I arrived [at camp] is not the way I returned! I returned with a spirit that was loaded and expanded in the domain of music. I can say that that is thanks to you and to BLUME Haiti. I learned a lot of things and what I liked and that also gave me great pleasure was when I saw the foreign professors, even though they don’t speak kreyol, but who tried their best to give us as much as they could, they worked with us without being discouraged. It made me happy. I make this gesture in a sign of gratefulness towards you; I take it to heart to be able to thank you. A thousand and a thousand thanks to BLUME Haiti for the help they gave us."

"I am very happy today to greet you in a special fashion. It is with a lot of emotion in my heart that I write this little letter today to explain how happy I am and I will profit from this moment to thank Mme. Janet Anthony for to thank you in a very special way. Because you, in BLUME Haiti, you made me enjoy an extraordinary privilege in music that is a thing that I like a lot. I learned a lot of things in this music camp because teacher Greg Riss made me learn many new things. He is very good and works very well. This is the reason that I had new experiences in my life and also I met people. It was a time that I will never forget because everything they did is engraved in my memory. BLUME Haiti thank you very much and receive this greeting that comes from the bottom of my heart. May God bless you."

"In my name I greet you. The principal reason for this note is for me to show my gratefulness towards the organization. I tell the org. thank you very much for the help you gave me to enable me to participate in this music camp. I was really happy because I had a really good time where I didn’t go just to have a good time but instead I went to get more training and this training was very fruitful. I thank the organization for helping me in this regard especially. I made lots of progress. I hope that the organization will always have an eye fixed on the youth [of Haiti]. Thank you very much."